Wembley delay may hold up Burns reforms

Delays to the new Wembley could have a knock-on effect for the Burns review of the FA's structure. Some board members are minded to stall the proposed reforms until the constructors Multiplex hand over the keys to the stadium so the full financial impact of the delays on FA finances can be calculated.

Money lies at the heart of the negotiations over Burns's reforms, with the national and professional game boards to have their own clearly costed budgets. The professional game lobby, led by the Premier League chairman Richard Scudamore and his Football League counterpart Lord Mawhinney, has conducted analysis of the expenditure, allocating budgets for each area of FA operations to the national, professional or central FA budgets.

With Wembley, the FA Cup and the England team set to remain under centralised FA control and legal action certain between Wembley National Stadium Limited and Multiplex, board members are wary of "nasty residuals" from the project impacting on future spending. Any delay will not please Richard Caborn, who wants reforms in place by the start of the World Cup, but there is little sympathy for the sports minister's view among board members who resent his regular interventions.

Duncan's racing hope

Channel 4's chief executive Andy Duncan said yesterday he is keen to continue coverage of racing with a decision due in the next six to seven weeks. The search for sponsorship continues and discussions are ongoing with a number of potential partners. Channel 4 extended its commitment to the sport only last year after securing more than £3m from the Tote and Betfair, but totesport is thought to be willing to produce only £1.5m this time round. Stan James is also thought to be in the picture and talks will continue at Newmarket's Guineas meeting next month.

Life's not easy for Becks

David Beckham's life of luxury does not always run smoothly. The England captain, right, was reduced to flying on a budget airline last month after a private jet chartered to bring him to the UK for an adidas function broke down. When Beckham eventually arrived at the promotional event in east London, England team-mates including Steven Gerrard serenaded him with a chorus of "easyjet, easyjet, easyjet". Presumably when Beckham was making his last-minute reservation he did not mention his threat to sue the airline in 2003 for using an unauthorised photograph of him in an advert.

Doubts for NTL board

The NTL board met yesterday to discuss their bid for live Premier League rights with the deadline tomorrow. The company's chief executive Malcolm Wall has made the case for bidding but there are doubts about the level of support across the board for the investment a serious bid would entail.

Shore bails out

The exodus from Sport England continues. The press officer Sarah Shore is the latest official to abandon ship following the departure of the communications chief Bruce Philips, predicted in this column, to join the former chief executive Roger Draper at the Lawn Tennis Association.

Cracknell coasts on toast,

James Cracknell has some advice for Jade Goody and the GMTV presenter Andrew Castle, both of whom crashed out of the London Marathon before the finish. While the former Big Brother contestant prepared on curry and beer, the Olympic rowing gold medallist coasted home on a pre-race meal of toast.

"I was staying at the same hotel as the Kenyans and I saw they were eating great piles of toast," he said. "I thought, if its good enough for them its good enough for me."

Cracknell's healthy message was delivered at a McDonalds football function.